Reservoirs Begin to Dry Up Due to Lack of Rainfall and Rising Heat

17-Apr-2026 03:49 PM

New Delhi. Due to a prolonged absence of substantial rainfall across most parts of the country, coupled with a continuous rise in temperatures, water levels in major dams and reservoirs are depleting rapidly, raising the specter of them drying up completely. Smaller rivers, streams, wells, and ponds are also on the verge of drying out. Furthermore, both groundwater and subsurface water levels are witnessing a steady decline.

The latest data from the Central Water Commission reveals that only the dams and reservoirs in the Western region currently hold water stocks exceeding 50 percent of their total storage capacity; in all other regions, however, these levels have plummeted to less than half. If substantial pre-monsoon rains do not arrive soon, water levels in the dams could drop even further.

Currently, the 53 major dams and reservoirs in the country's Western region retain a water stock of 19.552 Billion Cubic Meters (BCM), which constitutes 51.33 percent of their total storage capacity of 38.094 BCM. Specifically, reservoirs in Gujarat hold 56 percent of their capacity, dams in Maharashtra hold 47 percent, and Goa's sole reservoir retains 45 percent of its water stock. Just six months ago, this reservoir was filled to capacity.

The situation in South India is critical. Water stocks across 47 dams in the region have dwindled to a mere 17.457 BCM—representing 31.5 percent of their total storage capacity of 55.288 BCM. At this same time last year, these reservoirs held a water reserve of 34 percent. Water levels in the dams of Karnataka and Telangana have dropped below the 30 percent mark, while reservoirs in Kerala retain 33 percent, those in Andhra Pradesh hold 40 percent, and reservoirs in Tamil Nadu retain 41 percent of their water stocks.